Thieves keep breaking into offertory box at Nago Castle Park

Many incidents of theft from an offertory box located in front of a place of worship enshrining the god of fire in Nago Castle Park have occurred lately.

According to the headman of the ward where the park is located, thieves have taken money from the box more than 20 times this year by 5 June. The total amount of money lost is unknown, however it would be up to ¥100,000. Nago police are conducting investigation into the thefts.

The place has been enshrined for many years, and both residents and visitors, especially during the New Year season and holidays come to pray at the site. The money offerings have been used to maintain the site.

According to the ward headman, the offertory box has a double-keyed lock. Whenever the key was broken, the lock was changed to a larger one. But the thefts never stopped, even when maintenance workers welded the door.

The ward headman said, “Whenever we exchange the key and weld the door, we need to pay for it. We are really in trouble. We hope the thefts would stop.”